11 Body Positive Afro-Latinas Rocking It On Instagram

Not only do Afro-Latina women come in all shapes and sizes, many struggle to find acceptance in both their Black and Latinx communities.

Black History Month could never be complete without celebrating Afro-Latinx identities. Largely underrepresented, nearly a quarter of all Hispanics in the U.S. identify as Afro-Latinx in recognition of their indigenous roots and their ancestral countries of origin.

Body positivity can be a major component in embracing one’s Afro-Latina identity. Not only do Afro-Latina women come in all shapes and sizes, many talk about the stigma of “not being Black or brown enough” and struggling to find acceptance in both their Black and Latinx communities. Loving the skin you are in, despite the boxes people like to put you in, is absolutamente body positive! So we decided to show you a few fierce Afro-Latinas telling the story of their bodies, feeling themselves and making waves on Instagram.

Neerellyn Hernandez is not afraid to strut in body-rocking ‘fits that showcase both her playful spirit and her caliente curves. The Los Angeles mamacita also features her equally adorable little daughter on her fashion blog, so get ready to fawn.

A post shared by C.J (@beautyinbeastmodee) on Feb 16, 2017 at 10:03am PST

This young mother shares her story of survival from stage-three triple-negative breast cancer. With beautifully raw photos of her body and stories about her young son, this fighter does not hold back. She reminds followers that cancer doesn’t care about your age and, while life and body may change, the spirit endures.

A post shared by Dionne (@supersizemyfashion) on Feb 12, 2017 at 12:03pm PST

From her thigh-high boots to her nails on fleek, Dionne of Supersize My Fashion is one of our biggest style crushes. Residing in small town in the Netherlands, this hot mami proves that while not all Supermoms wear capes, they should consider it.

The ineffable Storm Marrero is more than just easy on the eyes. Her velvety pipes will be heaven to your ears. The Brooklyn-born bombshell’s music is a soul/R&B/Latin hybrid that will make you want to move. It’s a good thing she’s also a burlesque performer who could teach us a thing or two.

5. @denisemmercedes

Denise is a charismatic plus-size model and blogger who started her own body-positive hashtag, #becauseitsMYbody, for women of all shapes and sizes. This Dominican Jersey girl has big plans and hopes to land major fashion campaigns in the future. In the meantime, watch her rock those curves on Instagram.

Marlena’s motto is “break beauty standards, not your budget.” The NYC fashion blogger has overcome bullying to love and accept her body through fashion. Yet keeping costs low (and letting us in on her secrets) is of utmost importance to Marlena as she works to keep her family out of poverty. We see a bright future ahead for this chic chica.

7. @iamgoddessindigo

This bold beauty’s Instagram features her art that celebrates her form and femininity. We also like the occasional super-steamy bathtub and bedroom selfies, too. If we could all see our bodies as works of art, the world would be a better place.

Not unlike another Dascha we know, this one (spelled Dāsha) knows how to put together a smoking outfit. In fact, she does it for a living as a stylist! Dāsha lives in Chicago, Illinois, with her wife, but can style anyone over the Internet. Give her a buzz if your closet is in need of an overhaul.

You may remember Tatiana from one of our previous StyleCrush features, but we just had to take the opportunity to gush about her yet again. The 23-year-old aspiring fashion designer is currently studying at Parsons and hope to break the design barrier between straight and plus sizes. We hope so, too!

10. Carolina Contreras of miss_rizos

Carolina Contreras is the CEO of Miss Rizos Salon in The Dominican Republic, which is so much more than a place to get primped. Miss Rizos’ mission is to empower women to embrace their natural hair and educate them on their constitutional rights against discrimination based on their appearance. Follow her hashtag #yoamomipajon to see more natural-hair-rocking baes.

From the difficult relationship with her hair to hiding her natural curves by stuffing them into fajas, Crystal Rodriguez bares her growing pains with her comics. We particularly love her animated pieces set to music. Rodriguez truly captures the story of what it is like to embrace an intersecting culture.